Paired Passages Bundle: Analyze Two Texts and Write an Essay

This paired passages bundle has everything you need to help prepare upper elementary and middle school students for writing tests in which they have to read paired passages and write a response that cites text evidence. Paired texts target advanced reading comprehension skills by having students read two texts related to the same topic and then respond to a prompt based on the two passages. These no-prep resources feature TEN sets of paired passages! These activities can be used for test prep, review, or introduction of the skill. Students will have many opportunities to read a passage, analyze a prompt, and then write an essay response that cites evidence from the text.

What's included... To gain a better idea of everything included, please check out the individual PREVIEW for each resource:

40-slide PowerPoint

• Ideal for introducing this topic to students!
• 5 pairs of passages and 5 prompts
• Students begin by using a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two passages. After writing their own response, students read two responses and judge whether or not they are well-written responses.
• You have my permission to convert this to Google Slides, if you wish.
• It comes with a matching 10-page companion handout (The companion handout includes both a printable version and a Google Slides version.)

Compare and Contrast Craftivity

• First, students read a passage that tells about King Louis XVI and King Henry VIII.
• Then, they use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two historical figures.
• Finally, they write an essay and assemble the castle dcraftivity.

Practice Assessment Packet

• 4 sets of paired passages
• Perfect for test prep practice!
• Set #1: After reading two texts about Annie Oakley, write an essay that tells the advice you think Annie Oakley would give.
• Set #2: Compare/contrast the settings, themes, and events of two realistic fiction passages.
• Set #3: Read two opposing passages about school calendars, and then write a persuasive letter to your principal.
• Set #4: Compare and contrast the lives of Emily Dickinson and Robert Louis Stevenson.
• You get to choose between the print version or the Easel Activity version.

I received the following note from Kaitlin regarding this resource: I wanted to post a comment for other teachers who might be in a similar situation. Our state writing test requires students to read two texts and then write an on-demand writing response. I was able to use your Writing on Demand PowerPoint as well as your amazing paired text passages to create perfect practice prompts with reading. I would encourage you to share this option with your followers as it was a game changer. Thank you!

Here are a few other comments about using these paired passages with their students:

⭐️ Larissa H. said, "This was a great resource for additional practice with paired text. It gave the students a great entry point to focus their extended responses and made the learning meaningful. I was impressed with the improvement they showed after using this bundle of lessons."

⭐️ Jillian M. said, "I used this to help my fourth-grade students understand how to respond using multiple texts. After using this, my students totally got it."

⭐️ Kaitlyn G. said, "It takes so much time to try to find paired text. This is by far my favorite of all of your PowerPoints."

⭐️ Nancy M. said, "What a relief--this skill is such a huge part of our state testing and always needs more practice and strategies than would seem possible! You are constantly a reliable, valuable part of my classroom instruction and I am so grateful!"

CHECK OUT THE PREVIEW!!

Copyright by Deb Hanson

Please note: The PowerPoint cannot be edited due to the copyright requirements made by the contributing artists (clip art, font, background).

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